What's Behind The Creation Of Super-Trees?

Lately, the rise of smart-trees and urban forestry have been witnessed in the wake of the environmental crisis. Startups such as Living Carbon, greehill, and Davey Resource Group among various others are establishing some of the most innovative resources.

How are trees able to be engineered?

Back in middle school science, we've all heard about photosynthesis, a process in which carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight are all used to produce oxygen and glucose. For the purpose of these engineered trees, scientists took a closer look at how trees can be made to absorb most of the carbon in the reaction, diminishing the amount of excess that is released into the environment (photorespiration). The startup Living Carbon utilized the bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens to transfer their desired genetic code segments into their trees, ultimately establishing their own plot of trees in Georgia.

The Response

With every new innovations, criticisms are bound to arise. One of the most pressing concerns with smart trees is that the rapid development of these engineered trees can potentially grow faster than regular species. Depending on how quick the growth is, the trees can possess the threat of being a weed, damaging the local ecosystem. Additionally environmentalists point out that a tree must have more elements than just carbon and sunlight, they need nitrogen, water, and close, observed nurturing.

My Thoughts

I, personally, am amazed at this technological innovation. The capturing of carbon dioxide has a direct effect on our greenhouse gases. Although I agree that the smart trees have a certain possibility of turning into weeds, or backfiring and making photorespiration rates higher than before in a local ecosystem, the idea and intentions with these projects hold massive potential. I certainly will be monitoring the progress of these firms and their projects: projects such as these must be carried with hesitance and uncertainty.